Valve plug seal



Oct. 4, 1949; e. 1'. DOWNEY vApvE PLUG SEAL Z-Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept.28. 1944 OFF raw/V 11,100 w'ne 3 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 VALVE PLUG SEALGeorge T. Downey, Corry, Pa., assignor to Aero Supply Mfg. Co. Inc.,Corry, Pa.

Application September 28, 1944, Serial No. 556,192

3 Claims.

This invention relates to valve structures and more particularly to animproved seal between the valve housing and the rotary plug.

An object of this invention is to provide in a valve structure aself-lubricating seal between the valve plug and the housing wherein theseal is constructed in the form of carbon so that a self-seating sealwill be provided which will permit quick replacement of the seal.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a valve structure acarbon sealing means for sealing the rotary valve plug with respect toeach port, and an improved means for placing the sealing means under thenecessary pressure to effect the desired seal.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved rotaryvalve plug and means for rotatably mounting the plug in the housing sothat the plug will not stick or freeze in the housing.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fullyappear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understoodthat changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to whichfall within the scope of the inventionas claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a valve constructed according toan embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation partly in section of the outlet sideof the valve.

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation partly in section of the valve atone of the intake sides thereof.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the various valve positions.Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line I-I of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally a valvehousing which is formed 4 of a hollow body ll, having a plurality ofradically arranged bosses I2 extending therefrom. The bosses I2 defineintake ports I3 by means of which fluid may be permitted to enter theinterior of the housing ID. The housing It! also includes an end wall I4which is secured by fastening members I5 to one end of the body I I anda sealing ring or gasket I6 is interposed between the end wall I4 andthe adjacent end of the body I I. The opposite end of the body I I hassecured thereto a head I! which is formed with a boss I8 defining anoutlet port I9. A sealing gasket 20 1s interposed between the head orend wall I1 and the adjacent end of the body I0. Head I1 is secured tothe body II by means of fastening members 2| as shown in Figure 4, andthese fastening members may be in the form of elongated bolts, whichwill also provide a mounting means for mounting the valve housing ID ona suitable support.

A cylindrical valve plug 22 is rotatably mounted in the body I0 and theplug 22 is formed with at least one port 23 between the ends thereofwhich is adapted to be selectively placed in registry with one of theintake ports l3. Valve plug 22 at its forward end is provided with anannular channel or recess 24 within which the flange 25 of the end wall26 is adapted to firmly and tightly engage. The end wall 26, as shown inFigure 2, also projects inwardly of the plug 22 so that this end wall 26may be made of a thickness which may be greater than the thickness ofthe wall of plug 22. A plug operating shaft 21 is journalled through abushing 28 which is carried by the end wall I4 and the bushing 28includes a cylindrical --part 29 having an outer end 30 through whichshaft 2! rotatably engages. A ring 3| is disposed about shaft 21 andbears against the inner side of bushing wall 30. A sealing ring 32 isalso positioned about ring 3| 251d bears at its outer side againstbushing wall A compression ring 33 is interposed between sealing ring 32and a second sealing ring 34. Ring 33 is formed of carbon or graphiteand a metal wear ring 33 is interposed between compression ring 33 andseal ring 32. A cup shaped washer 35 engages about shaft 31 and bearsagainst the inner sealing ring 34. Shaft 2'! is formed with an annulargroove 36 and a split locking ring 31 engages in the groove 36 and bearsagainst the inner side of washer 35. Shaft 21 is also formed with asecond annular groove 38 and a locking ring 39 engages in groove 38 andbears against a thrust washer 40, which engages against the outer sideof bushing wall 30.

By the sealing and locking means hereinbefore described, shaft 21 isrotatably sealed with respect to bushing 28. The inner end of shaft 21is formed with a transverse slot 4| within which a U-shaped plugoperating key 42 engages, and the key 42 is secured in slot 4| by meansof a pin 43. Key 42 includes a straight bight 44 and a pair of outwardlyextending arms 45 received by the slots 45 formed in the plug end wall26. An inner washer 4B is positioned about shaft 21 and at its innerside bears against the outer edge of bight 44 and the outer face of thewall 26. A spring 41 is positioned about shaft 21 bearing against theouter side of washer 46 and its opposite or outer end bearing againstcup shaped washer 35.

The valve body II is formed at the opposite ends thereof with annularrecesses 48 and 49 and a pair of ring shaped sealing members 50 and BIare seated in recesses 48 and 49, respectively, and engage the peripheryof plug 22 adjacent the opposite ends thereof. End wall I4 is formedwith an annular flange 52 which engages in the annular recess 48 so asto provide for the concentric mounting of shaft 21 with respect to theannular body II.

In order to provide a means whereby plug 22 may be held in a selectedposition, I have provided an index ring 53 which is interposed betweenthe adjacent end of plug 22 and head or end wall I1, and is formed withtongues 53 engaging in slots 53 formed in plug 22 so that rin 53 willrotate with plug 22. A plurality of anti-friction balls 54 are rotatablycarried by pins 55 engaging in slots 56 formed in the end wall il. Plug22 is cut out or bevelled, as at 51, so as to provide clearance for theball detents in ring 53. When plug 22 is turned balls 54 will move plug22 endwise against the tension of spring 41.

A connector 58 formed with an annular flange 59 and a second flange 60is secured by fastening members 6i to end wall i1 preferably an annularclamping ring 62 overlaps the flange 59 and fastening members 6| engagedthrough clamping ring 62. Connector 58 may be extended either straightfrom the housing l or may be extended therefrom at any selected angle,the flange 59 providing a means whereby the connector 58, if made in theform of an angle connector, may be adjusted to any desired position withrespect to housing l0.

A ring-shaped sealing member 63 is disposed within boss i2 and at itsinner end is formed with a cutout 64 so as to provide a narrowcontacting rib '65 engageable against the periphery of plug 22. Theouter end of ring 63 is bevelled as at 66, the bevel 66 terminating in anarrow shoulder 61 providin a seat for a ring-shaped seal 68. A pressurering 69 is disposed outwardly of sealing ring 63 and is formed with anouter bevelled edge parallel with bevel 66. Ring 69 is adapted to bearagainst sealing ring 68, the latter also providing a cushioning means tocushion the pressure of the ring 69 against ring 63. An intake connectorH which is formed with an inner annular flange 12 engages within port 13and is provided with an outer flange 13 bearing against the outer end ofboss 12. flange I3 and is secured by fastening members to boss I 2.

Connector H is formed with an inner shoulder 16 against which th outerend of a seal compressing spring 11 is adapted to engage. The inner endof spring Tl bears against pressure ring 69 and constantly holds ring 69in engagement with cushioning ring 68 and the latter applies pressure tosealing ring 63. Rings 50, 5| and 53 are preferably made of carbon,which will provide a self-lubricating seal for sealing plug 22 in thehousing and for sealing the intake ports with respect to the plug 22.sealed with respect to boss l2 by means of a sealing ring 82, and outlet59 is sealed with respect to boss l8 by means of a sealing ring 83.

In the use and operation of this valve structure, connector H may beconnected to suitable fluid conducting means and connector 58 may beconnected to desired fluid conducting means. When valve plug 22 is in acut off position, this plug will assume the position shown at I8 inFigure 6. If one intake port [3, such as the No. 1 intake port, is to beconnected with outlet port 19, plug 22 is turned to register port 23with A clamping ring I4 overlies Inlet fitting II is No. 1 intake port.In this position, valve plug 18 will be in the position indicated at 19in Figure 6. If the intermediate or No. 2 port is to be connected withplug 22, the latter is turned to register port 23 with the intermediateor No. 2 port, and plu 22 will be in the position shown at in Figure 6.If the No. 3 inlet port is to be connected with the outlet port, plug 22is turned to the position shown at 9| in Figure 6. i

What I claim is:

1. A valve structure comprising a'housing having a cylindrical bore anda plurality of intake ports communicating with said bore, said housingincluding opposite end walls and one of said walls having a centraloutlet port, a cylindrical valve plug rotatable in said bore and formedwith a peripheral Dort registerable with a selected one of said intakeports, said plug having one end thereof open and confronting said outletport, a shaft extending rotatably through the other of said housing endwalls, a radially extending key carried by the inner end of said shaft,slots formed in the other end of said plug for slidably receiving saidkey whereby said plug is rotatable with said shaft, sealing meansdisposed about said shaft and confronting the inside of said otherhousing end wall, a washer loosely disposed about said shaft and adaptedto bear against said other end of said plug, spring means interposedbetween said sealing means and said washer for constantly urging saidplug in the direction of said outlet port and said sealing means againstsaid other housing end wall, an index plate fixedly carried by said plugbetween said plug and said one. wall of said housing, and means carriedby said one end wall of said housing engaging said index plate foryleldably securing said plug in selected rotated position.

2. A valve structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said index plateis formed with circumferentially spaced apart detents and said lastnamed means includes anti-friction ball bearings rotatably secured insaid one end wall of said housing.

3. A valve structure as set forth in claim 1, including an annularsealing member disposed in each of said intake ports for engagement withthe surface of said plug and formed with a bevelled outer edge, asealing ring seating on said outer edge, a pressure ring having abevelled inner edge for engagement with said sealing ring forcompressing the latter between said sealing member and said pressurering, and spring means in said intake ports bearing against saidpressure ring for constantly urging the latter against said sealingring.

GEORGE T. DOWNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 743,511 Huxley Nov. 10, 19031,062,064 Ward May 20, 1913 1,125,530 Heymann Jan. 19, 1915 1,509,562MacGregor Sept. 23, 1924 1,939,141 Schultis Dec. 12, 1933 1,954,018Miller Apr. 10, 1934 2,030,458 McKellar Feb. 11, 1936 2,198,386 HiesterApr. 23, 1940 2,314,512 Parker Mar. 23, 1943 2,319,347 Reed May 18, 19432,375,633 Downey May 8, 1945

